How to Cite Congressional Debates

When you are writing a term paper, it is crucial to accurately cite all sources, both to produce professional-looking papers and to avoid suspicion that you have plagiarized materials. Transcripts of congressional debates are entered into the official Congressional Record, which is available online. If you use the Congressional Record online, you must include additional information in your citation.

Instructions

    • 1

      List the last name of the representative whose remarks you are citing, followed by the lawmaker's home state (either spelled out or abbreviated) and a period. For example:

      Representative Smith (NY).

    • 2

      List the title given for the entry you are citing. For example:

      "Raising the Debt Ceiling."

    • 3

      Follow this information with the words "Congressional Record," the volume number and issue number, separated by a colon. For example:

      Congressional Record 142:76

    • 4

      List the date of the debate in parentheses. For example:

      (June 11, 1996)

    • 5

      List the page on which the entry appears, followed by a colon. For example:

      p. H9924.

    • 6

      List the database through which you accessed the Congressional Record, as well as the date on which you accessed it. Only do this if you accessed the Congressional Record over the Internet. For example:

      Available from: LexisNexis Congressional; Accessed: 6/21/09.

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